Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Dover - AAA 400 Drive for Autism Preview

brospn (60)in #sports • 6 years ago

AAA 400 Drive for Autism

Dover International Speedway - Dover, DE
Sunday May 6, 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on FS1
1 Mile High Banked Concrete Oval
Weather: Cloudy, 68°F

Previous Five Winners and Pole Sitters

Race	Race Winner	Pole Sitter
Fall 2017	Kyle Busch	Martin Truex Jr.
Spring 2017	Jimmie Johnson	Kyle Busch
Fall 2016	Martin Truex Jr.	Brad Keselowski
Spring 2016	Matt Kenseth	Kevin Harvick
Fall 2015	Kevin Harvick	Matt Kenseth

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series returns to Delaware this Sunday with the AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway. A total of 38 cars are scheduled to enter the event. Who can tame the "Monster Mile" and capture the checkered flag on Sunday?

The Favorite

It's time to put the uncertainties of restrictor plate racing behind us and get back to regular competition in NASCAR. Kyle Busch had won the three races previous to Talladega and is still the hottest driver on the circuit. Busch has three career victories at Dover, including the race last fall.

Despite the difference in length, Dover is similar to Bristol with its high banking and concrete surface. Do I have to tell you who won at Bristol three weeks ago?

The only downside for Busch this week is his history of finishing races at Dover. In 26 career starts, he has a rather high 6 DNFs. Yet everything has been clicking for the No. 18 car so far this season, there is no reason to think it will lose its momentum this week.

Other Drivers to Watch

Kyle Larson also had a strong run at Bristol, leading a race high 200 laps while finishing runner-up to Busch. Last season he finished in the top-five in both Dover races, including a runner-up finish in the spring race. He led more laps at Dover than any other driver last year. Larson loves to run the high groove, and Dover is a track where either the high or low groove can lead to success. Larson has been on the cusp of breaking through at the "Monster Mile", Sunday might be the day he finally does.

Like many Chevrolet drivers, Chase Elliott has found it difficult to find speed at times this year. That has never been a problem for him at Dover, Elliott has finished in the top-five in all four of his career starts here. The fall race last year was his best yet, leading 138 laps on his way to a runner-up finish.

"I have been fortunate to have some good runs at Dover over the past couple of years," Elliott said. "Obviously, haven’t won a race there, but it’s been a solid track. Hopefully, it will continue to be solid for us and me. But there are definitely other tracks that have been more of a struggle."

Elliott was the class of the Chevrolets with a third place finish at Talladega last week, and he could ride that momentum all the way to victory lane this week for his first career Cup Series win.

Elliott's Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson has also gotten off to an unusually slow start this season. It's been nearly a year since Johnson has won, in fact his last victory came at Dover last spring. That was Johnson's eleventh career victory at Dover, a track record. No other active driver has more than three wins. Johnson has struggled this season with only one top-five finish, which is why he isn't the favorite this week. Where was that top-five finish? At Bristol, of course. Don't be surprised if Johnson contends for the checkered flag this week.

Dover is considered to be New Jersey native Martin Truex Jr.'s home track and it was the site of his first Cup Series win back in 2007. He nabbed another checkered flag in 2016 and finished in the top-five in both races here last season. Only Kyle Larson led more laps here last year. Dover remains one of his favorite tracks.

"I just like the racetrack a lot," said Truex. "The first time I went there I fell in love with the place. Enjoy the challenge of it – it is so different than anywhere else we go. I feel if you like it you have an advantage. It’s been good to me over the years and I enjoy going there. The banking, the concrete, the surface and the way you land in the corners there — it’s just crazy."

News Around the Track

NASCAR Xfinity Series drive Spencer Gallagher has been indefinitely suspended from competition for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy. According to a NASCAR press release, Gallagher failed a drug test on May 1. It was not announced for which substance he tested positive.

Last Sunday, Gallagher won his first career Xfinity race in 49 career starts at Talladega. In a trackside interview after the race, Gallagher said he was going to "party like it's 1999."

Gallagher has consented to enter NASCAR's Road to Recovery Program, which he must complete before he can become eligible to drive in any NASCAR Series.

Congratulations to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife Amy, who announced the birth of their daughter on Tuesday. Isla Rose Earnhardt was born Monday night, the couple's first child.

Jimmie Johnson, Earnhardt's former teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, offered the happy couple some tips for new parents: "Early diapers - you know, small people, small little poops. Pretty easy. When you move into solid food, the game changes on a few levels, so be prepared for that."

Earnhardt retired from NASCAR at the end of the 2017 season. He will be an analyst for NBC when the network begins broadcasting NASCAR races in July.